Wand Wielder Arcana + Wand of True Strike. 50 True Strikes for 750 gp, used to drive CMB checks to ungodly high levels... Remember you don't need the improved feats to use a Combat maneuver, especially if you are out of your opponents reach. Things like Longarm and Enlarge can drive your reach to phenomenal levels...

To be honest, I totally lost track what each individual player could do at the end of the campaign and basically relied on the honor system in regards if they played their characters honestly. As you can see, my player knew what he was doing.

Yeah, Magnuskn, th3M1ghty, it's clear you've got some very fiddly stuff running around, and extremely optimized, and I still don't think you can do this the way you have been, RAW.

Aside, nerf?:

"My char forfeit every second path ability, getting an off main class level instead." Lets just say that I wouldn't call that a nerf... It allowed you to pick up 5 levels of casting ability... without which you would be a 12th level caster on the clerical side, not 17th.

One key problem being is that someone coming out of a time stop doesn't have a "readied action" available. A "normal" time stop, works like this:
Out of a whole round, you have a standard, a move action, and a swift action available. The caster uses his standard action to cast Time Stop, and acts for the duration in rounds. This is outside the normal time flow. You can't carry a action from outside the timeflow into the timeflow, so when TS ends, you have a move and swift action left over from the original turn. If you have ended your "time in Time Stop" preparing a readied action, the action needs to be performable with either the remaining move or swift actions. Or the action waits until the next turn.

As mythic you can pick up another standard action from amazing initiative (that "can't be used to cast a spell") and you could also potentially get another swift or even a move action from "Borrowed Time". But neither of these lets you bypass the rules on p213. Synthesis will let you workaround the p213 rule once per day, by combining a spell from your cleric and sorcerer "sides". That would get you to 3 spells per turn (once per day), which is still not 4 spells per turn.

You've spent roughly 100,000 more GP on equipment. Maybe not a big issue.

On a bigger issue, "Wouldn't have saved Deskari in the long run (i.e. after another round)." Magnuskn, 1) it does if the sorcerer is dead/incapacitated before his 2nd round, which is distinctly possible if Deskari drops a full attack on his head as I have described. 2) As DM saving Deskari is not the point. The point is to have an epic fight. If Deskari puts a PC or two down, it's a lot more interesting. Clearly you were massively jaded by the time you got to this fight, but if Deskari's not nuked to death's door, the ranger can't easily kill him and then Areelu also gets a turn, with her own ability to pull TimeStop, using Wild Arcana... things snowball in this kind of fight.

This spell allows you to reach ahead in time and draw alacrity from the future at the expense of your own health. For the duration of this spell, you gain an extra swift action you can use only during your turn. You can't use this swift action to take a second immediate action between turns, but you can use it to take a swift action the turn after you've taken an immediate action. Each time you take an extra swift action in this fashion you take 1 point of Constitution damage. If you're immune to ability damage, you take 5 points of hit point damage instead.

When the spell ends, you are staggered for 1d4+1 rounds from the temporal backlash.

Mythic: If you expend one use of mythic power, instead of taking an extra swift action, you can take either an extra move or an extra swift action each round. You can use this extra swift action to take two immediate actions between your turns; this consumes your extra swift action in your next round. Each extra action you take still deals damage to you as described above.

As for Mythic Time Stop... we both agreed to not use it, because it is one of those "who goes first, wins" mutually assured destruction spells.

So, yeah, taking the nukes off the table nerfed the opposition somewhat, but so did it nerf the PC's. In fact, the Sorcerer did not even take Mythic Improved Initiative for that very reason, so it wasn't as if he couldn't have optimized himself to always going first and being the one to cast Mythic Time Stop if he would have put his mind to it, if we both would have went all-out.

1) Borrowed Time still does jack for the limitation from page 213 of the core rulebook. You've got a maximum of 2 spells per round. You've got an extra swift action - you could use a quickened SLA, or some other swift/immediate action - but it doesn't get you to 4 spells per turn. Was your sorceror using items for 2 of those spells - according to your initial write up he was straight casting all of them - I only got him to 3 spells by using a scroll...

2) Even if you don't use Mythic Time Stop, use regular Time Stop - like your sorceror is doing. I didn't actually do anything in the posted turn that required a Mythic Time Stop - I just noted that Deskari's friends would have been able to play too...

No, he didn't cast those spells during the multiple Time Stops. He used that time to buff himself up, then readied an action when he came out to use a swift action to cast another spell (Greater Dispel Magic + Moment of Greatness) then the standard action to cast another Time Stop. When he finally was done with that, he cast the Mythic Augmented Maximised Empowered Elemental Disintegrate.

I gotta say that I am currently with Raisse. I don't see how this possibly works in 1 turn.

Sorceror starts turn, and cast Time Stop, extended (1) - this is his standard action.
Inside the Time stop(1),
he casts Time stop, extended (2)...(N)
He then casts many buffs.
His accumulated time stops end.
He uses a quickened spell or a Wild Arcana to cast a second spell: Greater Dispel Magic (and expended his bonus from Moment of Greatness on the CL check...).

But after that, he cannot cast another spell this turn - P213, core rulebook "A spell with a casting time of 1 swift action doesn't count against your normal limit of one spell per round. However, you may cast such a spell only once per round." Nothing that I can think of in mythic allows you to cast 3 times per round - note that Amazing Initiative additional standard action "can't be used to cast a spell". He could use the extra standard action to read a scroll of limited wish, but he still needs to cast his Mythic Augmented Maximised Empowered Elemental Disintegrate the turn afterwards, allowing a Deskari (and anyone else) another opportunity to act.

Also, why didn't Deskari actually do something during his turn - his aura is an automatic effect... looking a MDJScorpion's statblock, which you are using IIRC, Deskari's turn should have looked something like this.

Standard Action: Mythic Time Stop, allowing him and all his allies to buff and maneuver. Deskari closes (flying) to melee range while casting creeping doom, summon demons and symbol of weakness DC 32.

After the end of the time stop, he uses amazing init to get another standard action, and full attack. Focus on the healer other than the paladin, who has already acted... Try and put the healer down. Don't forget the poison - it stacks with the poison from his abyssal swarm aura, and it reduces con, making further saving throws more difficult as you go, and also stacks with the infestation ability (another -4 to saves...).

Finally, using another mythic power, he uses his demon lord ability to use his SLA's as a swift action, and attempts to imprison a PC, DC 34, and he's smart enough to pick the one with the weakest will save.

Then the demons and swarms he summoned during the Time Stop go. Don't forget swarm master for his creeping doom swarms (dc32 Fort distraction saves and 10d6 dmg). I suspect the most useful thing for the Demons is dispelling...

As each post-paladin characters turn comes up, his abyssal swarm aura forces 2 Saving throws DC 44 Fort (Poison and then Nauseating). Note that poison makes the nausea save hugely difficult - 3d4 less con and infestation (another -4 to saves...). Then another save DC 36 frightful presence. After that use, Deskari's free action, so he can do it during their turn to force a 4th save (DC 42 Fort vs Stunning, and 20d6 dmg save for 1/2)... EDIT and the symbol of weakness for another save...

And God's alone know what Arleesh, Gimcrak and K reborn got up to during the TS. Note that Arleesh can cast just about whatever she wants using Arcane Surge.

Also, you need to go into MUCH more detail about target choices. Mercanes, offer the opportunity to get into a magic item trading, w/o needing a huge city...

Also, remember unintelligent targets can be summoned (and not returned!) consider a celestial horse (stallion) sold to a band of horse nomads! Also remember that you can summon templated critters - which means just about anything...

Note that Harrowed Summoning and Augment Summoning don't stack - they are enhancement bonuses. Evolved Summons would likely be a better choice than Harrowed - so often, Harrrowed Summons ends up in a bonus that doesn't help much - eg INT or CHA for a combat beast - or one that doesn't stack with Augment Summoning...

next level you get Focused Combat - which gets pretty close to keeping up with the fighter for melee combat.

Your tactics are intimidation (dazzling display) and poisoned weapons to weaken your enemies, then finish with a greataxe... Use Extracts to buff yourself as appropriate (suggestions - Shield, Long Arm).

Half Elves, Half Orcs and Humans all have the following favored class bonus available for Shamans:

Shaman: Add one spell from the cleric spell list that isn't on the shaman spell list to the list of spells the shaman knows. This spell must be at least 1 level below the highest spell level the shaman can cast.

Thats right, you can do customized expansion of the shaman spell list, from cantrips to level 8 spells...

Shaman is a very potent class that has a pretty amazing chassis. Compared to the Witch, it has a bigger HD, a higher BAB, more spells (thanks to its Spirit Magic), access to the whole arcane list (thanks to Wandering Hex), and the ability to loot all the solid Witch Hexes. It even has a higher base skill points (though the Witch will have more thanks to being INT focused). Not going to lie, it's my new favorite class. Though at least some of that may be my complete aversion to the PF Cleric.

Really, you can do a lot with Shaman.

They don't have access to all the solid witch hexes ("She cannot select major hexes or grand hexes using this ability"). That leaves out Agony, Ice Tomb, Retribution and Summon Spirit. Which still leaves much of your point - Shaman has a lot of tools, and I anticipate them getting more with the creation of more spirits in expansion material...

I dimly recall a ruling/FAQ entry that suggested you could cast/create a magic item with a caster level below the minimum for a spell. Am I remembering correctly?

For example, a fireball spell is 3ed level, and can be cast by a 5th level wizard, at a caster level of 5. Similarly he can prepare a scroll of Fireball at caster level 5. However, if the wizard so chose he could use a caster level 2 (2d6 dmg, range 480 ft. vs 5d6 dmg and range 600 ft) because he wanted not to kill all the people exposed to the blast or because he wanted to make the scroll cheaper (2*3*25 = 150 gp < 5*3*25 =375 gp )

This is particularly relevant recently due to the Consume Magic Item exploit of the Arcanist...

This is currently just first impressions, but Occultist arcanists might be the strongest of the lot. Spontaneous Improved Summon Monster (min/lvl duration and standard action) summoning spells are quite strong. For 2 exploits (1st and 7th - you also get a couple of SLA's from the 7th) and a changed (possibly better - unlimited summon monster IX is damn good!) capstone? If you are enthusiastic about charging your reservoir (say by using consume magic items) you can pretty easily drop a max level summon monster EVERY encounter.

Question, is there a monk's robe/Robe of Arcane Heritage equivalent for Investigators?(as a bonus question, how about for Slayers?) Such an item might be really key to making a build like this work (much like Gloves of Dueling for the fighter...).

Ghoran may be worse.
Plants are immune to half or so as much stuff as constructs, and Ghorans have constitution scores and the Ghorus seed ability to A) recover from bad conditions and B) to re-allocate their skill points. Add 2 points of natural armor and SLAs (Goodberry is pretty nice at low levels)...

Plant Traits:
Low-light vision.
Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, patterns, and phantasms).
Immunity to paralysis, poison, polymorph, sleep effects, and stunning.
Proficient with its natural weapons only.
Not proficient with armor.
Plants breathe and eat, but do not sleep.

Construct Traits:

No Constitution score. Any DCs or other Statistics that rely on a Constitution score treat a construct as having a score of 10 (no bonus or penalty).
Low-light vision.
Darkvision 60 feet.
Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, patterns, and phantasms).
Immunity to bleed, disease, death effects, necromancy effects, paralysis, poison, sleep effects, and stunning.
Cannot heal damage on its own, but often can be repaired via exposure to a certain kind of effect (see the creature's description for details) or through the use of the Craft Construct feat. Constructs can also be healed through spells such as make whole. A construct with the fast healing special quality still benefits from that quality.
Not subject to ability damage, ability drain, fatigue, exhaustion, energy drain, or nonlethal damage.
Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless).
Not at risk of death from massive damage. Immediately destroyed when reduced to 0 hit points or less.
A construct cannot be raised or resurrected.
A construct is hard to destroy, and gains bonus hit points based on size, as shown on the following table.
Proficient with its natural weapons only, unless generally humanoid in form, in which case proficient with any weapon mentioned in its entry.
Proficient with no armor.
Constructs do not breathe, eat, or sleep.

I wonder how many hexes will be usable by both the Witch and the Shaman. There is a significant dearth of non-sucky non-combat hexes...Shapeshift is a definite step in the right direction (especially if witches can use it as well).

Racial Traits:
Darkvision 60
Immortal Spark Immortal Spark Aasimars with this racial trait defy the powers of death. They gain a +2 bonus on Knowledge (history) checks and saving throws against death effects and can use lesser age resistance once per day as a spell-like ability. This racial trait replaces the skilled and spell-like ability racial traits.
(note, I am not using Variant Aasimar Abilities for +2 Cha)
acid resistance 5
cold resistance 5
electricity resistance 5

Attacks: Weird Words
Hannah relies on the interpretation that Weird words can dump multiple attacks on a target, if the user chooses.
It is assumed that multiple ray attacks can inflict multiple sneak attacks

Coming back to Xanesha's change in difficulty, on thing is really important

zylphryx wrote:

for RotR:

for RotR:

:

Finally, the melee damage she dealt also changed significantly. AE is Impaler of Thorns +17/+12/+7 (1d8+8/19–20/×3) for an average of 13 points per hit (for a potential max of 39 points of damage per round excluding critical hits) compared to the original of impaler of thorns +20/+15/+10 (2d6+9/19–20/×3 plus 1 Wisdom drain) for an average of 16 points per hit PLUS 1 Wisdom DRAIN, putting her potential max excluding critical hits to 48 points of damage AND 3 WIS Drain). This is an EXTREME change considering in both versions after her first attack "she prefers to fight in melee" ... the original has her dealing a more devastating attack with a better chance of landing most if not all of the hits.

I second don't kill it, but if you can manage 8th level spells - trap the soul should work nicely. Incapacitate the main body by hammering on it until it's well below zero hp (just don't do too much damage it can't regenerate). Then inscribe an appropriate gem with trap the soul (and your opponents name). Put the gem on it's unconscious corpse... trap the soul kicks in, no save, no SR...Store the gem safely, and maybe figure out if you can do something useful with the trapped soul of a high level spell caster.

As a quick note, I'm not at all sure that there should be such major consequences for using/abusing a succubus in this fashion. In game, several NPCs in City of Locusts appear to have done something similar without huge succubus conspiracies to overthrow them.

eg. City of Locusts, Pg. 27 : "Profane Gift(SU) Anemora is under the effects of a profane gift (+2 Con) granted to her by a succubus named Lelaxiss whom she has bound and imprisoned in a distant hidden locale".

Similarly, Areelu Vorlesh has a profane pact with a lilitu demon...

If published NPCs can play this game without huge repercussions, I do kind of wonder why PCs can't...

Arleesh dies (at -109 hp). 1 Spell. Everything else in the encounter (gimcrack, 4 advanced Vrolikais, the Hekatontarchies, Khoramzzadeh Reborn), all die as well from the blast damage, unless they make rather improbable saves... and them Kho's death throes clean the floor...).

Your revised Kho has at least a chance to live through this, if he makes at least 2 of 4 saves at DC of 21 + Caster stat (assuming no other feats, etc...) He has a Ref +26, but well, I think you can expect at least a +15 from that caster stat...

And Chuckles the sorceror still has a quickened spell and maybe a magic item use left, in this round....

As detailed here, I was having trouble with the first shipment from my order, 2918797

http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2qn99?Paizo-Order-2918797-Shipment-part-2

Today, Feb 6, I got home from work to find a package - the USPS has finally delivered the initial order...

Unfortunately, Paizo has sent me a e-mail on 5 Feb, "A package containing 2 items from Paizo Order #2998781 is about to ship from the Paizo warehouse via Standard Postal Delivery". I am unsure if you have actually shipped said second package. If you can, please stop it. If not, I need to know what to do with it when it arrives...

Sadly we have not heard anything on our end about your package. Sorry to hear that it has not arrived yet. I've gone ahead and set up a replacement order #2998781 and you should be receiving a confirmation email shortly. You can also verify this change from your Order History page.

~Justin Riddler
Customer Service

I have received the confirmation e-mail. Thank you very much, and I hope that this is the last you hear from me...

As mentioned in the previous thread, my order, #2918797 shipped as two packages: one on the 2nd of January, containing Pathfinder #7 (non-Mint) and Pathfinder #25, and a second package on the 6th of January. I have received the second package, but not the first. It is now February 3ed... Do you have any visibility into what happened to the first package?

Dear sirs,
I believe there is a problem with the shipping of my order, #2918797. This order shipped as two packages: one on the 2nd of January, containing Pathfinder #7 (non-Mint) and Pathfinder #25, and a second package on the 6th of January, containing the balance of the order. The order was to allow 7-11 business days for transit. I have received the second package, but not the first. Do you have any visibility into what has happened to the first package?

Build a bunker. Ward and protect the bunker heavily. Build the tower up From the bunker. Have a permanent projected image from the bunker, to the top of the tower. Hide in the bunker. Use the projected image to launch your spells and look around - keep YOUR narrow butt out of the line of fire!

Remember to protect your bunker against assassins and other sneak in and kill you types (Special Forces in general). Also remember to always plan a couple of escape routes...

The problem with most golems isn't the price as much as that their CR is lower than the caster level required to make them. This means you can generally only make golems that are low powered compared to your expected encounter ratings.

Are you sure that this statement is correct. I was under the impression that the caster level requirement for a magic item was not a hard and fast requirement - rather it can be bypassed by a +5 DC to the spellcraft check. Presumably this would also apply to constructs; they are magic items after all.

To smack the snow cone wish factory discussion on the head, you do realize that you can simalcrum any creature in the infinite universe within the HD limits - 26 HD at 13th level (earliest possible wizard cast). You don't even have to have met them - you could read about them in a book somewhere.

The caster simulacrums a advanced efreet of 20 HD... post simalcrum, he gets a 10 HD efreet - a normal efreet - who can cast 3x Wish per day.

What are your hexes? My suggestions would be 1) Slumber - yes, it's the first item on the sheet, it's that good... 2) Probably Evil Eye (or Feral Speech if you are an animal friendly witch - this is a preferred option for me - animals make great bodyguards at low levels).

Traits - depends what is available - if your DM will let you have Finding Haleen, TAKE it. Otherwise I would look for a trait to make perception/ride/(and handle animal if you went feral speech) class skills, or add to your fort and reflex saves. Note that if you are using Ultimate Campaign, one of the witch backgrounds (found familiar) on pg 42 gives you access to the animal friend trait (which give handle animal and a +1 will saves...). Note that I loove traits, and I often take the extra traits feat or a flaw... Finding Haleen, Animal Friend, Valamashai Veteran/Eyes and ears of the city + hedonistic?

Skills I would rethink considerably. At first level, I would put 1 rank into:

Perception (this can keep you alive!), UMD, Know Arcana, Spellcraft, Ride, Handle animal, and 2 more of choice if you took Finding Haleen - heal and alchemy?.

Ride is a very useful skill for a witch - it allows more movement without using your actions - allowing you to close, use a hex, and then move away. It (and handle animal) also combine well with the animal focus above. As you level up, max Perception, UMD, Know Arcana and Spellcraft. You get Ride to a level of making the checks automatically (at least 9, likely 14 or 19...). Skill checks tend to top out after a bit... so you start to spread around. 3 ranks in Acrobatics, and a bunch of other little fiddles. Some ranks in fly (although you can use a flying mount with Ride). Ranks in Linguistics... Remember that adding int bonus from items tends to come with extra skills; often knowledges.

I would also recommend reading both the witch guides and the guide to traits from here http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2m612?Guide-to-the-Class-Guides

If you are high enough level, and can gather the necessary info (the ghost's name), prepare a trap the soul spell gem. Have a pc carry it in and let the ghost possess him... instantly taking possession of the gem... sayonara mister ghost.

For some reason I want to see a giant pile of treasure in one of the magic dead areas of the Mana Wastes with liches just waiting to come back when someone moves their phylactery...;)

Dunno. I can see a bunch of high level pc's turning this into a treasure mine. Remove Phylactery, and carefully observe Lich reformation. Chain the "body" up as it forms, and then jump Lich as soon as it regains "consciousness". Disable the lich with Trap the Soul/Temporal Statis/etc and sell the piece of treasure. Repeat...

The classical method for long term defeat of a Lich who's phylactery is (as yet) undiscovered, is Trap the Soul (Will save, not Fort, not mind-affecting, not a death effect...). It does, however, run you directly into a typically strong will save.

... But the lichs soul is already trapped, elsewhere...

I don't think trap the soul will work on Lichs, unless they are wearing their phylactery as jewelry or something.

1) RAW - it works, it doesn't hit any of the accumulated immunities.

2) I'm not sure a Lich's soul is trapped elsewhere. Rather a lich's phylactery is a contingency device. When a lich's body is destroyed, it's soul is released. The phylactery intercepts it, rather than letting the soul go to Pharasma's judgement, and stores it while recreating a body. Then the phylactery releases the lich's soul into the new body. This view is reinforced by what happens to a lich when you destroy it's phylactery, before you kill it. The lich doesn't automatically die - rather, it is just unable to use it's rejuvenation ability anymore... If it's soul was in fact trapped in the phylactery, it would fly free, off to Pharasma's judgement, and the lich would die... Instead, you still have put it down, and then the soul wanders off to Pharasma...

The classical method for long term defeat of a Lich who's phylactery is (as yet) undiscovered, is Trap the Soul (Will save, not Fort, not mind-affecting, not a death effect...). It does, however, run you directly into a typically strong will save.

First do you have a con boosting item? I'm guessing yes because of the HP, but if not, it helps with the fort save, and the extra HP will be useful. Similarly, Dex items add to AC and reflex save.

Second, have you considered some long duration (1hr) defensive spells, even if you have to do custom spell research. Things like Defending Bone , an improved Mage Armor (say a 3ed level version - maybe use one of the oracle armor revelations as a basis). At your level these will combine especially well with a rod of lesser extend (3000 gp).

Third, surprise: Armor and shields are actually quite useful...

A mithril buckler +x is cheap and 0% ASF and 0 ACP, and some of the shield enhancements are quite nice (arrow deflection, fortification).

A haramaki is a 0% ASF, 0 ACP, and AC+1. It can be enchanted; at +3 it's better than your mage armour spell (or you could research a wizard version of magic vestment...).

Depending on what your DM will tolerate by way of item customization, the on command smoke that doesn't impair the users vision property of a Volcanic Shield would be exceedingly nice. In theory, at the higher end, you can make a Mithril Breastplate into Celestial Armor, with 0% ASF and 0 ACP. Some DMs call shennanigans and say Celestial Armor is already Mithril, so ask first. Some Discussion here

A great many things in the game, especially at high level, are dependent on magic. Including fighters.

Killing them using antimagic field isn't a revelation: its what that spell is FOR.

"Out to slay a lich? Use an antimagic field."
"Out to slay a demon? Use an antimagic field."

****

The other part of what I'm saying is that, because the PCs are also dependent on magic, antimagic field is a double-edged sword. You might take away the the mythic abilities of that Mythic Cyclops, but it's still a big guy with a club, and you just lost 10 points of AC.

To use your Lex Luthor analogy, it'd be like if kryptonite also shut down his battlesuit. Sure, you just took a lot out of superman, but its not exactly a one-sided battle after.

Hey guys - im here in atlanta at dragoncon. Has anyone heard about the Arcanist yet? Jason Bulmahn spoiled it at the paizo panel. Its a Sorcerer/Wizard combo that prepares spells like a wizard, but their spells have slots kindof like a Sorcerer. It seems "out there", but Jason gave a good teaser about it. Keep your eye out!

This is what the wizard should have been in the first place in 3.0 instead of having both Wizard and the Half Class Sorcerer. This just sold me on this book, as it will completely replace the wizard. Make the Icon Ezren!!

If you really want a caster like this that is pretty balanced (and even flavorful, in world), run out and buy Monte Cook's Arcana Unearthed.